Rain
by i should know who i am by now
Summary: [Rain, Rain, Go Away.. Come Again Another Day.. All the world is Waiting for the Sun.] And, sometimes he wonders why he just doesn't give up. He is reminded of 'Why' when he sees the colour petal pink. But, sometimes it fades.. 'Just a little.'
1. Rain, Rain

****

"Rain."

_Kind of set to the song of **"Rain"** by Breaking Benjamin._

**Pairing(s) -** (my first) Gaara-Sakura, or more commonly** Gaa-Saku**.

_**Summary -** "Rain, Rain, Go Away.. Come Again Another Day.. All the world is Waiting for the Sun." -_ **And**, _sometimes_ he wonders_ "Why?"_ he just doesn't **give up**. He is reminded of _"Why?"_ when he sees the colour petal _pink_. But, _sometimes_ it _**fades**_.. _"Just a little."_

**_--_******

Okay, so this idea has been bugging me for a while, except I could not really figure out what it should be about, and to say the most, I'm still not all that sure, but I feel like I must make this. It's been driving me crazy.

After listening to the song**_"Rain."_ **by_ Breaking Benjamin (I love them..)_ I suppose you could say it helped me figure out quite a few things about this story, like the title, and kind of what it's kind of about.  
Then I heard**_"It's Not Over."_ **By_ Daughtry,_ and that helped to inspire me as well.

Certainly, not everything is figured out, and I can only hope I can make this as long as I envisioned it..I see this as quite a serious thing, and I'm hoping it'll earn me some recognition on I hope, atleast.  
Anyway, here's chapter one, I hope you like it.  
**_There is some serious angst in here, themes like_ _suicide,_** but certainly I'll try not to make it too angsty. -Shrugs.- And, no, you're not really supposed to know how Gaara and Sakura got together. I couldn't think of anything.. stunning.. to explain it..

_I am **so **sorry if Gaara is OOC! As well as for Sakura being OOC, I apologize._

_---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------"My "My life with you means **everything**,  
__So I won't give up that easily..." - Daughtry, **'It's Not Over'.**_

-

"... Gaara?" Green eyes watch the redhaired boy carefully. "Are you alright..?"

How long had she been there? The young Kazekage couldn't really tell himself that certain answer to that certain question, but her voice snapped him out of that dangerous realm of thinking his thoughts so often fell into when he was alone. _Alone_.. that would could explain him quite well, he figured. Alone, all his life. Alone, no one who cared. Alone, feared and resented. Then again.. it had all changed, hadn't it? Well, not _all_, he'd admit, but surely quite a lot had changed.

Fifteen and Kazekage, who would have guessed the Ultimate Weapon of Sunagakure would have been the next Kazekage? Fifteen and already grown up..

"Gaara?"

Dull aqua blue orbs focused upon the pinkhaired kunoichi who seemed to tower over him, lips pulled downward into a worried frown, and vibrant green lights _(that were commonly called eyes)_ shining down in concern upon his pale features. Her petal pink hair surrounded her face, seeming to only make her beautiful - _'No, stunning..' _- features stand out more, seeming to give her eyes even more vibrant glow. God, how he **_loved _**her.. She was the light in his darkness, the hug he had always needed as a child, she was his sun when it rained.

'Rain, Rain, Go away, Come again another day.. All the world is waiting for the **sun**.'

Long ago, he would have thought love to be impossible, a fantasy only dreamed up by the weakhearted and the fools. Oh, how his younger self would be glaring at him, telling him how stupid he was, how foolish. He was the monster who loved _only _himself, the demon destined to be alone forever - to live and die alone. Had he never changed, he was sure he'd still be stalking the streets, killing those who simply looked at him in a manner he considered 'wrong'.

It was almost humorous, in a rather sick and twisted way. Who's to say that his humor had changed?

"Gaara?!"

Her tone had gotten more worried, more concerned, he noted as he stared lifelessly up at her, into those beautiful, mesmerizing green eyes of hers. Was she really that worried over him? He had almost found it impossible still to consider that anyone - her, even - cared for him. Maybe a part of his younger self had stuck with him..? Sure seemed that way about now. He wondered why he found it so hard to talk to her.. He was so damn _tired_, though..

His tired gaze shifted from her worried face to the large window that was behind him and his desk. _'Still in my office..'_ He thought, eyes narrowing slightly, noticing that it was clearly night outside. He could see the stars so clearly, the large, full moon shining through the window and illuminating his office along with the lights that were turned on._ 'So, it's night.. How long have I been here?' _He could have sworn last he checked while he was doing paperwork that it had been daylight.

His eyes then looked back upon Sakura who seemed now to be panicking a little. Was it so unlike him to ignore her? He wasn't sure anymore if he _was _ignoring her. Something felt so.. god awfully wrong.. His heart was hurting terribly, and he wondered briefly if it was hurting more than it had when Yashamaru had betrayed him. He almost wished that someone would just rip out his heart already - this pain was too much, and he didn't want to deal with it again..

He was snapped out of thoughts when he felt a warm, gentle, soft hand against his right cheek, and he blinked tiredly up at his love, who's lips seemed to moving, and he found himself allowing his head to lean upon her hand, suddenly craving her touch. Had she been talking to him the entire time? He wasn't sure, than again with Sakura he never really was.

He wasn't sure if all those kisses, those smiles, she gave him was nothing but a deceiving poison placed sweetly upon his lips and body. If all those hugs and sweet murmurs of the words that he had _longed _to hear since he was a child _(that **always **managed to give him a strange, but good, feeling in his chest - that always managed to send a shiver down his spine when they had been spoken from the pinkhaired kunoichi) _were nothing but bittersweet lies that were meant to lull him into a state of relaxation and trust before she would turn on him and...

"Gaara! You better answer me, damnit!" Sakura frowned, a look of pure concern in her eyes and facial expression. "Are you alright? What's wrong? I know you can hear me, what happened?" She was growing more frustrated, more worried by the second.  
Oh, how she would kick his ass if he was playing around with her, though she doubted it, he wasn't usually the type to play around.

Yes, it seemed she was quite worried about him, the redhead decided, allowing himself to close his eyes for a few seconds, now trying to figure out why he felt so tired all of a sudden._ 'I can only handle so much..' _He thought, closing his eyes briefly._ 'I've gone past my limit. I can't take it anymore..' _

A small sigh slipped past his parted lips, and Sakura's eyes widened slightly.

_ 'Chiyo.. I really wish you hadn't brought me back..'_ Such morbid thoughts, he wasn't sure where they were coming from, but he found himself suddenly wishing he had remained dead because something was just so terribly _**wrong**_ with him now - he was broken. He found himself wondering if all that he had worked for, all that work to be recognized as _Gaara_ and not as some monster or demon, was suddenly worth it..

Such morbid thoughts, he wasn't sure where they were coming from, but he found himself suddenly wishing he had remained dead because something was just so terribly wrong with him now - he was broken. He found himself wondering if all that he had worked for, all that work to be recognized as and not as some monster or demon, was suddenly worth it. 

"It isn't, is it?" He found himself finally managing to speak. How odd he sounded, so tired, such a strained voice he hardly recognized it as his own.

"What?" Sakura was quite confused, though relieved when she saw that he could speak, though she would admit his voice sounded hoarse, strained, a little horrible.. "What isn't?"

The kunoichi had thought he might be in some sort of coma before he had answered, but it seemed she was wrong. She should have been relieved, but for some reason she found herself even more concerned with him. What was suddenly wrong with him? She couldn't figure it out, but she'd be damned if she let the only one she loved suffer like he seemed to be.

But, suffering from what? She couldn't figure it out. She was quite glad, though, that she had decided to stay awake and wait for her love to come home from his work at the Administration Building..

-----------------------

"Where is he?" The medic frowned, stretching out slightly upon the large bed, green eyes landing upon a clock that sat upon a table beside the bed. "It's nine.."

She was worried, to say the least, but who was to blame her? She feared for his life as much - even more, perhaps - as she feared for Naruto's life. She knew the Shukaku had been extracted and that he wasn't in immediate danger from the Akatsuki.. She found herself fearing that the one known as Deidara would return and try to finish the redhead off, reclaim his 'trophy'. There was no way in hell she'd ever let that happen, but she still had her fears.

Brushing back a strand of her petal pink hair, she closed her eyes briefly before sitting up and looking around again. What if something had happened to him? It was a little past nine now, she realized as she quickly stood up, changing into her usual outfit instead of her night-gown. She then hurried out of the room, moving down the steps gracefully and quickly.

She slipped on her sandals before yanking the door open and hurrying out into the cold desert night. It still surprised her that it could get so cold at night when in the day it was almost unbearably hot in the day, but she was, more or less, adjusted to it now. She hurried through the streets, pausing once in a while to see if the Kazekage was anywhere near her. Soon, she entered the Administration Building, smiling wearily at the ANBU who stood at alert near the door before she continued onward.

Sakura muttered a quick "Hello." to the secretary before continuing on down the hall, moving past more Suna ANBU who lined the hallways, tense and alert, watching the medic with sharp eyes as she moved past them.

The pinkhaired kunoichi paused as her hand settled upon the doorknob that lead into the Kazekage's office. What if he was simply too busy to have bothered to send her an indication of his late arrival home? He had a rather bad temper when he was disturbed from doing his paperwork.

She was **worried**, though. Did that not serve as a good enough purpose to disturb him from his paperwork? He overworked himself sometimes, she knew, and she took it upon her to be the one to disturb him, make him relax, take a break once in a while. It wasn't healthy to always be working. Work caused stress, stress could cause emotional breakdowns. Suna needed their Kazekage, they depended upon him and their lives were in his hands.

Sighing softly to herself, she turned the knob and entered the room, closing the door behind her as she peered curiously at the redhead. He seemed to be sitting in his chair which was halfway turned toward the window that was behind his desk and that offered a stunning view of Suna - of his village. She could see his eyes were open, and he was breathing. He seemed perfectly fine.

She smiled slightly, moving closer, soon standing in front of him, one hand on her hip, other hanging limply at her side. The medic then met the redhead's gaze, and she arched a pink eyebrow at him. "You had me worried." She spoke, watching him closely.

No reply.

"Why didn't you tell me you'd be here this late?"

Silence.

"Damnit, Gaara." She had muttered, narrowing her eyes. "If someone made you mad, you don't have to take it out on me." A small pause, and she smiled rather seductively. "I didn't do anything, right?"

Nothing.

She immediately began to worry again, suddenly wondering if he had been poisoned, or perhaps was in some sort of comatose state. It wasn't like him to ignore her like this, now. Sure, he had ignored her quite a lot when she had first arrived here, but now.. After all that had happened, she felt like she was the only one to get a real, true, happy smile out of him. That she was the only one to have broken through the wall he had built around him, that now he seemed to feel comfortable enough around her to open up, express his emotions and feelings, his dreams and his problems now.

Sure, he opened up for his siblings, but... It seemed that he was more willing to open up to her on a deeper level now than he did with his siblings. A deeper level.. That meant more trust, more willingness to allow her to care for him, to love him, and for him to love her - for them to show their weaknesses around each other that were so carefully hidden before, though she still found he wasn't exactly comfortable being weak around anyone at all. She'd give him as much time as he needed to be able to trust her on that level.

This really wasn't like him, but he had been acting rather strange since about a month ago, she knew. She straightened her posture, waving a hand in front of his face, eyes narrowed still before she gently placed her hands upon his chest, a light, minty green chakra becoming visible as she seemed to be checking for any sort of poisons. She found nothing though, he was perfectly fine, except for being a bit dehydrated, but certainly nothing deathly, nothing to worry about. She worried anyway.

This **really** wasn't like him..

------------------------------------------

Sakura snapped out of her thoughts, shaking her head just slightly, gazing down upon her boyfriend again, trying to make sense out of what he had meant by _'It isn't, is it?'_ question. It was wholly confusing, and in a way it didn't seem to make sense. Than again, Gaara was confusing. Everytime she thought she had figured him out, he'd do something and she'd be confused again, left wondering who he really was. She loved him, though, that much she knew about him. She loved him more than anything in the world, no matter how confusing he was.

But, _perhaps _this would only become their downfall.. _Love_.

She began to move her hand away from his cheek, ready to shake him gently to try and get some sort of response out of him, but moving her hand seemed to do the trick. Just as her hand was almost completely gone from his flesh, his arm jerked up and tightly grasped her wrist, dull aqua blue eyes suddenly seeming pleading, though somehow still seemed impassive - a look only Gaara could pull off.

"Gaara.." Sakura murmured, eyes seeming to soften. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"

The medic found herself a little more worried as she received no reply, and she felt a part of her motherly instinct kick in. The redhead almost looked like a sick child begging not to be left alone, and certainly she was not cold hearted enough to leave him because she was worried and she wanted to know what the hell was wrong with him.

As she had been about to ask him something, the question never got past her Dahlia lips as she watched blackened lids cover stunning, dull aqua colour eyes. The redhead's usually tense body seemed to relax now, facial expression seeming to fade into a sort of peaceful look, his chest that was covered by the Kazekage robes rising evenly with each breath he took.

This was only the second time - since Shukaku had been extracted from him - that he had allowed himself to sleep, she realized. Usually he'd always say something about how sleeping was a complete and utter waste of time.._ 'Sleeping leads to vulnerability, and as Kazekage I cannot allow an opportunity to fall prey to assassins, or allow you or Suna to be harmed.'_ .. Yes, that was what he had said to her one day when she had grown rather concerned about his apparently non-existing sleeping habits.

She smiled slightly, sighing as she watched his grip upon her wrist slacken, and then his hand slid off of her wrist, landing softly upon his lower stomach, slack and relaxed, though there was the small, occasional twitch of his fingers as he now slept, and as she watched him in an odd fascination, she could sometimes see his lips moving, forming words, but no sound was issued from his pale lips as he seemed to speak in his dreams - though it only seemed to happen for a few seconds, than nothing, he was deathly still except for the calming rise and fall of his chest.

"You've been acting so.. strange, lately." Sakura found herself murmuring to his sleeping form. "Like something is really bothering you.. You can always tell me, you know." A small, sad smile graced her lips. "C'mon, we have to bring you home. It isn't safe for the great and mighty Godaime Kazekage to sleep in his chair, now is it?"

She quickly and gently slipped an arm around his waist, carefully placing his arm around her neck and with quick precision lifted him out of the chair. "Plus, it isn't that healthy, for your back, that is." She mumbled. She was a little surprised that he hadn't woken up, always having envisioned him as a light sleeper. _'Because he hasn't slept for so long..' _She told herself, nodding slightly, also finding herself surprised at how light he seemed to be now a days.

_ 'Aah, stress, maybe. He needs to relax more. I'll have to make him something special tomorrow, I'm not going to let him come back here until he's better.' _She mused and began the long trudge out of the office, out of the building and back home, getting odd looks all round. She didn't care though, she was just pleased to see he remained sleeping, also quite happy to be able to have him to close.. He was so warm..

----------------------\\\\\\**_X.x.X_**\\\\\-------------------

'I don't know, Ino.. he's just been acting kind of weird. Withdrawn, I guess. I'm really worried. It's almost like he's blocking himself inside again, like he's trying to go back within that, well, 'wall' he had built around himself. Remember? I told you about that.. I don't know what to do.

I want to say something to him about it, but you know how he can get sometimes. A bad temper, but that's okay, I think I will bring it up anyway. I'll try not to worry about it for a while, I think maybe it's just some.. phase or something.. Who knows. You know how Gaara can get sometimes, but I love him none-the-less. I have been with him for quite some time.. You would think as a medical kunoichi I'd know what was going on..

I checked, though.. No traces of poison or anything, he was perfectly fine! Heart rate was normal, blood pressure good, nothing clogging any veins or anything. In great health. He really worried me tonight, though. He usually sends a scroll to alert me that he's staying at his office later than planned, but this time he didn't. So, I went to his office and found him. At first I had thought he was in a coma or something, he was so unresponsive. He was breathing, and his eyes followed me, but he was just..

He seemed almost lifeless, Ino. Like all his will to live had faded.. Maybe I'm just overreacting, but I'm really worried, now. Maybe he was just tired? Maybe. He fell asleep in his chair soon after I found him - that's the second time he's ever slept in his whole life, you know. He seemed so.. peaceful.. But, something bugged me. His.. expression.

I know I said he seemed peaceful, Ino, but he seemed troubled, too, in a way. I don't know how to describe it, but he seemed really bothered by something when he slept. I think he might talk in his sleep sometimes though by how his lips would move sometimes for a few seconds, forming unspoken words - I'm not sure what, though, he was saying. I really don't know. It's almost like.. a rainstorm in his life. Maybe a sandstorm would fit better though, ne?

I took him home after I found him. It's pretty late right now, maybe around five in the morning(**I feel like such a hypocrite right now for always complaining at his pretty much non-existent sleeping habits when here I am staying up all night)**, he's still sleeping, right next to me as I write this. He still seems.. troubled, though, even though he seems peaceful on the outside. I just wish I could find the right words to describe it, Ino.

Well, I think I may have to go soon - make some breakfast for him. I'll let him sleep in as long as he wants, he's definitely not going to do his Kage duties today! I think he's sick, and sick people need rest, so here he will stay, whether he likes it or not. Sometimes he can be like a ungrateful little brat, but I love him with all my heart regardless, Ino.

You know how men can get sometimes. It's almost laughable when I think of some of the arguments we've had over the stupidest things. Yeah, I know you remember when I showed up crying. I still feel pretty foolish - weak - for crying over something as stupid as that. But, you should come over here sometime, maybe you can help me figure out what's wrong with Gaara? I don't want to lose him, but I just can't help but think it's like he's giving up on the inside because of what he had said when I finally got.. well, I guess a response out of him. "It isn't, is it?" He had said to me.

Well, I better end this now. The sun is starting to rise. The sunrises over here are really beautiful, Ino, you should see them. I hope you're doing alright. How's Naruto and everyone else? I miss you, keep in good health **(remember! If you're going to pig out, it may as well be on healthy things!)**, and write back soon, you porker!

Truly,

Sakura Haruno.

----------------------------- x.X.x-------------------------------o.O.o----------------------------------------

**"Rain"**

Take a photograph,  
It'll be the last,  
Not a dollar or a crowd could ever keep me here..

I don't have a past...  
I just have a chance.  
Not a family or honest plea remains to say...

Rain, Rain, Go away,  
Come again another day..  
All the world is waiting for the sun.

Is it you I want...  
Or just the notion..?  
Of a heart to wrap around so I can find my way around?

Safe to say from here,  
You're getting closer now..  
We are never sad cause we are not allowed to be..

Rain, Rain, Go away,  
Come again another day..  
All the world is waiting for the sun.

Rain, Rain, Go away,  
Come again another day..  
All the world is waiting for the sun.

To lie here under you..  
Is all that I could ever do.  
To lie here under you is all...  
To lie here under you is all that I could ever do.  
To lie here under you is all...

Rain, Rain, Go away,  
Come again another day..  
All the world is waiting for the sun.

Rain, Rain, Go away,  
Come again another day..  
All the world is waiting for the sun..  
All the world is waiting for the sun...  
All the world is waiting for the sun.

**

* * *

------**

Okay, so this is chapter one. I really hope it's all in character, and hopefully I'll get a few reviews. Hopefully it's also long enough. I worked for quite some time on it, and I will admit I'm rather proud of how it has turned out. But, as always, it could be better.

I apologize for any errors found within this, please alert me if them if you want to and I'll go back and fix them, and please review. -Nods.- It would certainly mean a lot and help to motivate me to update faster, and try to make the chapters longer. Though, I am not on the computer as often as I use to be..  
My teachers are killing me with homework and I'm having some rather troubling family issues, so yeah, I'll update as soon as possible. It also depends on reviews. -Nods.-

Oh yeah, ultimate record! **_4,000_** words or more! I'm quite proud. xD

Nny's Theory of Review-lution-  
Reviews muq2  
(Reviews me updating quicker x2)

Thankyou! Please review!

- Gaara-Sakura. 'Gaakura.


	2. Go Away

**"Rain."**

_**Pairing(s)**__**-**_ Most likely my first Gaara-Sakura, or more commonly Gaa-Saku

_**Summary**__**-**__ "Rain, Rain, Go Away.. Come Again Another Day.. All the world is Waiting for the Sun."_ **-** And, _sometimes_ he wonders _"Why?"_ he just doesn't **give up**. He is reminded of _"Why?"_ when he sees the colour petal _pink_. But, _sometimes_ it **fades**.. _"Just a little."_

Inspired by _**"Rain." **_by _Breaking Benjamin_.

_--_

Holy crap, right as I was done editing it up, I started listening to **Seether **- _Fine Again_.. and.. just wow! It fits this story like.. perfectly! Go! Go now and listen to **Seether **- _Fine Again_! Listen to it as you read this! -Nods.- It fits.

Woah, okay, so I had a heart attack about fifty times. Nine reviews for just one chapter? -Spazzes.- That's never happened to me! Yaaay! -Happy.- THANKYOU SO MUCH! Plus, I got 6 favorites, and _**11**_ alerts!!

-Heart attack.-

I LOVE YOU GUYS!

Here's the next chapter, once more, sorry if it sucks. It's late because of it seems they had some problem with uploading stories. -Nods.- Then, I had to be stupid and start adding more and screwing it up..

_**6,372 **_WORDS, PEOPLE! HAHAHA! Yaay. Almost 10,000. w00t. Or.. something 3k..

But for this chapter.. I tried to imagine what their life together would be like, and I see Gaara a lot more relaxed and easier to talk to. Yeah.. OOC. -Shootsself.-

_-Hides in disgrace.-_ Ah, sorry, I just HAD to fit in that quote, and perhaps I shall start _(either in this chapter or the next) _to explain how they got together, but if it sucks.. well.. gomen nasai, I'm basically going to base their whole meeting and love stuff upon a roleplay I'm doing with someone _(Gaara-Sakura, thankyou very much!)._

Yes, I realize it seems to pretty much be in Sakura's P.O.V and in the next chapter I'll start doing it more in Gaara's view, though still staying in 3rd person, of course.

Starting to get angstier! Hell yeah. xD

-

* * *

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_"All my life I tried to explain how I love myself..  
__To release the pain." _- _Orgy_, '_**Beautiful Disgrace**_.'

* * *

------------- 

"You awake yet?"

"Hn.."

"Was that a yes or a no?" A smile twitched at the edges of Dahlia lips. "I don't speak Gaaranese that well."

"Hmph. I'm glad you don't."

"You're nice today.." The pinkhaired medic jutted out her bottom lip in a pouting manner, seeming to make her face glow with innocence, not to mention a bit of seductiveness. "Feeling any better? Fever? Cold? The flu? Any sort of sickness?"

"No.." A slight edge of irritation. "Why the hell would I be sick, anyway?"

"Don't tell me you forgot what happened last night!" Green eyes narrowed in suspicion, and a sly look immediately appeared upon her expression.

Aha, _bingo_!

Dull aqua blue eyes narrowed as well, a pale, slim - yet muscular - form shifting within the bed as he pushed himself up into a sitting position, ignoring a strange, sudden headache that seemed to come out of no-where. A small scowl took form upon his pale lips, gaze briefly flickering from his love to his clothing, seeing he was no longer in his usual outfit, instead merely in a plain black shirt and his boxers._ 'I must have been out cold for her to.. do that..' _He thought in mild annoyance at his sudden realization of how vulnerable he had been. Such a _fool_.

He quickly shifted the blanket upon himself, pulling it a bit further up toward his head, stopping it merely at his waist. His unwavering gaze was quickly focused once more upon the pink haired kunoichi who sat upon the bed, across from where the Kazekage sat, near the end of the bed. Her lithe form was bent slightly over, quite clearly leaning toward him, her own green eyes meeting the challenging gaze of dull aqua blue eyes, a sly expression painted upon her slightly tanned face, lips pulled slightly upward into a smirk. _'A goddess..'_

The pinkhaired girl was wearing nothing but a loosely fitting night-gown, that was a light petal pink colour - _'Almost like her hair..'_ - that covered her finely shaped, supple legs that were crossed Indian style, her head tilted just slightly to the left, pink hair slightly leaning off to the side, some falling upon her face, a few strands strewn about the side of her slightly pinkened cheeks.

She almost seemed to be mocking him, in a way, her chest slightly jutted out in his general direction, her smirk seeming to grow slightly, watching his gaze seem to study her flawless form. _'I don't deserve her.. a monster and a goddess - an angel.. In.. love. Who would have thought.. She deserves better.. But, I __**love**__ her..'_

"I hate you."

Sakura allowed a small giggle to slip past her lips, her smirk shifting into a small grin as she heard the redhead, and she shifted slightly, going upon all fours and crawling over beside the redhead who had uttered such cold, uncaring words that were easily brushed off by the pinkhaired girl. The medic shifted slightly, sitting beside the redhead, feeling his strong, protective arm - _'Sometimes.. overly so..' _- wrap around her waist, pulling her in closer.

The medic pulled her legs up closer toward her, settling her head upon his chest, closing her eyes briefly. She was rather tired, to say the least, having stayed up all night writing a letter to Ino and simply out of pure worry over the redhead. Ha, and to think he was trying to act as if it had never happened. How laughable was that? Sighing softly to herself, she absentmindedly placed a hand upon the redhead's chest, though more near his neck, gently tracing his jawline.

If she were to ask what she was planning on asking, she'd definitely have to be careful about her choice of words, knowing that when the Kazekage did not want to talk about it and was asked about that something he wished not to speak of, his silence would usually be regarded as a silent warning, almost as fearful as one of his death glares that were more commonly seen when he had been younger, less commonly seen now a days unless he got rather mad, or to the point of anger where if he had been younger and had gotten that angry, Suna would not even exist.

She was walking upon thin ice that could crack at any slightest movement, and when it did she would fall into the iciest of waters..

Dangerous.. A new challenge. She grinned at the idea.

"Gaara..?"

No response. Typical. But, she immediately looked to his face, seeing he was looking at her, almost like he had the night before. Lifeless, glazed looking eyes... Was he.. sick?

_'He had always been that.. that.. that unbelievably.. pale..in the skin.. __**right**..?'_

It was scary - she suddenly realized the feeling in her chest - scary to think that the one she truly loved, _the one should would give up anything in the world for_, may be slipping away from her, ever so _slowly _and ever so **painfully**. Slipping away from her grasp, beginning to be swallowed by something -_ '... Perhaps some sort of horrible disease that is so far undetectable..?' _-, slipping away.. Being _ripped _from her grasp, and _**oh god **_she was **losing **him.. -

"Sakura?"

Oh, had he been talking? She blinked, frowning slightly. Where had her smile gone? _Away_, away with those horrible thoughts that had plagued her mind for those few moments. A small shudder ran through her body, causing a few strands of stray pink locks to be shifted slightly onto her face, and she closed her eyes, thusly causing emerald green eyes to be covered by her eyelids. She couldn't bear to lose Gaara, never, she had already lost Sasuke and that had almost killed her on the inside.

She couldn't lose Gaara - no, she refused to let him slip out of her grasp like she had Sasuke. She refused to let him sink back into that hardened shell of sand he had built around himself and fall back into that horrid blackness of loneliness, pain, and suffering.

No, she had definitely worked too hard to get him to accept her, and trust her with his life, not to mention the added bonus of love. Plus, she had shown to him she wasn't as worthless and as **'purposeless'** - _'My ass, my purpose is, as he would say, strong. My existence will not fade.. as he would say...' _- as the Kazekage had said she had been when she had first came...

----------

_"Kazekage-sama..?"_

_"Hn." A small pause, and pale lips tilted downward. "It's Gaara, since you're staying here." Cold, uncaring, dull aqua blue orbs were watching her in a wary manner, slightly narrowed as they seemed to follow her every move._

_Rather... disturbing._

_"Hn." She seemed to mock him. "Ah, well, I'm all settled in." She said, cheerily. "I picked my bedroom and everything."_

_"Hmph.."_

_Annoying.. little ungrateful brat.._

_"So, Gaara-sama.." She plopped down on the couch next to the weakened Kazekage. "You have a nice house. I wish mine was as big." She attempted a conversation._

_Dull aqua orbs rimmed in black narrowed a bit more._

_"And, how your house is located. No neighbors, that must be nice.." She added, smiling politely._

_Oh, a brat indeed!_

_"So, are you feeling better? Did you take those pills..? They should have helped with the pain.." She shifted the subject, watching him just as closely as he watched her._

_"You know.." A deep, stable voice that could only belong to Sabaku no Gaara filled the tense silence._

_Ha! Yes! He was talking!_

_"You're useless, here. You have no purpose as soon enough I shall be healed, and I see no reason as to why you would need to stay and help with the assassins." He spoke coldly, shifting just slightly upon his couch, seeming rather annoyed the pinkhaired kunoichi had sat by him on the couch._

_Ouch. Well, wasn't he Mr. Nice.._

_"Well, Gaara-sama, I'm simply here to do my job." She smiled, though it was a bit forced, like the one she had on before she had punched Sai. "It's my job to heal you, ne?" She nodded slightly. "That's what I'm here for."_

_"Hmph. Well, then, I do hope you enjoy your stay for the.. __**short **__amount of time you'll be here." He said, the icy coldness not as detectable within his tone, and he seemed to be trying to control his annoyance toward her._

_"Oh, I __**will**__, Gaara-sama." She said, cooly, moving off the couch and standing up, beginning to head over to the stairs, pausing though as she placed a foot upon the first step, looking back at him. "Though, I can leave whenever I want to. I just.. don't want to leave you."_

_"..."_

_"What I'm trying to say, Gaara-sama, is that a lot of people - ... I would be sad if something like the Akatsuki ordeal happened to you again and.." A small moment of hesitance. "And no one could bring you back.." The smile faded off of Dahlia lips._

_"... Hn."_

_"Try to rest, Gaara-sama." With that, she headed up the stairs._

_---------_

"Sakura..? Are.. - "

"I'm fine." Sakura quickly interrupted him, snuggling into him a bit more.

She felt a grin slide onto her lips, feeling gentle - though oddly enough, rather shaky - fingers gently slide from near the corner of her eye back to her hairline, and it was quite obvious the Kazekage was removing the stray strands of her hair from her vision, more specifically moving back the strands that had shifted onto her face when she had shuddered. Wow, she must really seem like the sane one now, though she knew Gaara's behavior the previous night was completely different from how she was acting now.

She knew not why Gaara had 'zoned out' and had soon after fallen asleep, but it worried her none-the-less. She, however, had shuddered from bad memories, things she truly wished had never happened to her, though.. had they never happened, would she still have met Gaara? Would she still have fallen in love with him, saving him from his terrible realm of depression and bitter, secret hatred toward those he risked his life for?

Though, she was still sure he still held some sort of grudge against those living in Sunagakure who had shunned him when he was a child, and now were swarming around him, proclaiming his greatness, and especially the fangirls who had once told him to go die - now practically screaming their _'love'_ for him and swooning every time he passed. She knew it disgusted him to a point to think of how they all had considered themselves changed, thinking that he'd fall madly in love with them because they no longer mocked him.

"Gaara.."

"Hm?"

"What's.. what's going on?" She asked, softly, grin faded and gone. "With you, I mean.."

Immediately the medic felt him stiffen, go quite tense, and felt his narrowed and almost suspicious gaze upon her, his gentle and loving fingers having ceased in their action of moving hair away from her vision. Damn, she really liked that too.. But, her boyfriend's health was a hell of a lot more important than that, so she shifted her head slightly, positioning it slightly so she gazed up upon his face, her finger ceasing their actions upon tracing his jawline, and they stared at each other in tense silence.

"_Nothing_." It almost came out as a hiss.

So, she struck something, definitely..

"But, last night you.."

"Sakura, I do not wish to speak about this." His voice turned cold, serious, no longer holding that loving or caring tone she always heard. He never really spoke to her in such a way before, now that they were together..

"Damnit, Gaara!" Sakura pulled herself away from him, frowning in clear anger. "What the hell is wrong? You know you can tell me.. Don't you trust me? After all we've been through together, you can tell me!" She snapped, her spirit as stubborn and fierce as his.

"Sakura, I will not speak of this. Nothing is wrong with me, I was merely tired." He was now glaring at her, a silent warning for her, a silent message to her to be quiet.

"Tired my ass! No one acts like that, sleep deprived or not!"

"I'll be late if you continue to bring this foolish argument up." He said, moving to get out of bed.

"Oh, no, you are _not_ leaving! I've already alerted the Council that you're staying home for today."

"Hmph. Well, then, won't they be surprised when they see me."

"Gaara!" One could easily tell she was losing her temper by the way her emerald eyes narrowed, and a scowl came upon her lips, pink eyebrows seeming to gain a downward tilt to them. _'What the hell did I find in this brat anyway?'_ Immediately, she regretted that, but she was quite angry. "You are not leaving!"

"Watch me." The redhead hissed, his own eyes narrowed into quite a nasty glare, though certainly not one of his worst.

Just as he was about to get up, Sakura immediately moved her body forward, quick hands grasping tightly onto his wrists, and she forcefully pushed them down onto the part of the pillows, forcing the Kazekage's slim form to be slammed back against the soft bedding. With precision, the Haruno moved herself upon his body, sitting comfortably upon the lower part of his stomach, somewhat near his navel, her muscled legs seeming to be straddling his hips. Sakura's slightly tanned face was hovering mere inches from Gaara's own pale, enraged face, his teeth bared out in a snarl, though that certainly did not scare the medic, having dealt with his 'grumpiness', as she would call it, before.

She leaned a bit closer, their noses almost touching, and her eyes narrowed once more as she stared directly into his dull aqua blue eyes, surprised to see he wasn't struggling. She blinked, frowning slightly. That didn't make sense.. He wasn't struggling? Usually he'd be putting up one hell of a struggle, thrashing about and trying to - without harming her - push her off, and it was those times when he struggled it made her wonder if her strength was up to par with his when he became quite angry or annoyed, though she had a guess she was still quite stronger, but he still made her wonder sometimes.

Sakura almost wanted to smirk at the position he had gotten himself into. If only he had actually listened to her and had stayed put instead of trying to go to the Administration Building and attend to his little meetings and Kazekage things. Well, certainly Sunagakure didn't need some sort of stressed filled, panicky, almost unstable - in a way - Kazekage for today. They could wait. Today, however, he was all hers. And, she was utterly determined to try to see what was wrong with him, or atleast get _something_ out of him.

"Gaara.." She breathed, her voice all too sweet, noting how he seemed to stiffen once again, eyes narrowing even more. Well, certainly one of the nastiest glares she had ever gotten from him. "You better tell me what's wrong."

To say the least, Gaara was absolutely seething. How _dare_ she demand to know what was wrong with him, and when he told her, not believe him? How _dare_ she stop him from reporting to his work - to his people when they _needed_him? And, how _**dare**_ she pin him down in his own home and refuse to let him go? How _dare_ she do such a thing, especially when he felt so unbearably tired and weakened, though he told himself it was simply an after effect of sleeping after going without for so long, and damn straight, he knew he was right!

_'I can't deal with this anymore.. End it all.. __**please**..'_

He closed his eyes, hearing that same little voice in the back of his mind. It wasn't the Shukaku because he had been extracted, and he certainly wasn't schizophrenic.. It was his thoughts, he realized, his suppressed thoughts that had suddenly started to haunt him, plague the times when he allowed himself sleep, the images of Yashamaru's smiling face, the horrid children laughing at him as he cried, then screams.. so much screaming.

_'**Die** monster! Go crawl in a pit and die alone! No one loves you! Go! Die, you demon!'_

"All my life I tried to explain how I love myself.. To release the pain."

Sakura froze, her grip upon his wrists slackening, and she leaned back quickly upon hearing those whispered words slip from his beautifully pale lips. The words he said.. scared her quite a bit. Never before had she heard such a thing, and it make a unpleasant lurching feeling in her stomach as she gazed down at his impassive face, eyes closed, a clear frown upon his lips. Though, his eyes soon fluttered open and focused upon the pinkhaired medic, watching her with his unwavering gaze that was no longer in a glare.

"Ga.. Gaara?" She spoke, willing her slender body to move forward slightly, leaning toward the redhead's own body again. ".. Are you okay..?"

It didn't surprise her when he didn't answer, and when she felt herself being pulled toward his slightly shaking body, and pulled into a strong, needy hug. The only night she could remember him showing such.. vulnerability was when he had spoke of his past as they had sat upon his roof, and he had actually come to trust her enough to open up. He had seemed so.. weak, showing a hidden side that was like a young boy that only ever wanted a hug - someone to care for him.

-------------

_"You never tell me about yourself.." A slightly annoyed Sakura Haruno spoke up, glancing over at the Kazekage. "I told you about me."_

_"It isn't my fault you allow others to read you like an open book." Sabaku no Gaara mumbled._

_"Open book? Yeah, right." She scoffed, "I trust you, that's why I told you."_

_"... Trust?" He sounded unbelieving. "You haven't been here for that long, how can you even think of trusting me, yet?"_

_"It's been actually quite a long time since I've been here, Gaara-sama." A small smile slipped onto her Dahlia lips. "You just.. never noticed." A slight shrug. "Besides, if Naruto trusts you, I can too, right?"_

_Her red clad form shifted slightly in the darkness that was only illuminated by the moonlight that covered roofs and streets, setting Sunagakure aglow with that strange, unique light only a moon would be able to produce. The large, bluish-tinted moon hung high in the sky, millions of stars seeming to surround it, though they were rather dull for some reason, almost as if they were fading. She still liked the sunsets better, though.._

_".. Can you?" He spoke, dull aqua orbs flicking to the right to look at her._

_"Yeah." Another thoughtful shrug, "I know I can." She smiled a bit more._

_"Hn." He was silent for quite some time, cold gaze shifting to the moon. "Can I.. trust you..?"_

_To say the least, she had felt quite surprised by his question, and looked at him with wide green eyes only to see that he wasn't looking back at her. Was.. Did he really mean that? Did he really want to know? She knew that, thanks to accidentally listening in on one of Gaara's conversations with his siblings, that trusting another was a painfully slow process for the redhead as he still had the idea that depending only upon himself instead of showing weakness and asking for help. This was.. unexpected and utterly wonderful.._

_"Yes." She replied, a large grin forming upon her lips. "You can trust me with your life, Gaara-sama. Despite us still being.. maybe.. strangers in your eyes. I trust you with my life and I would never allow you to die - not just because of my mission, but because I want us to be friends."_

_He didn't answer her, but instead she saw his head lowered, arms seeming to wrap around himself, as if giving himself a hug. When he had finally lifted his head, if not just slightly, the look in his eyes almost made her want to cry. Pain, loneliness - a almost childish look in his eyes that practically screamed of wanting something.. Love? Simple comforting words? A... hug? She blinked, smiling a bit more. She didn't feel bad __**for**__ him, though, she quickly decided. No pity. She felt bad __**with **__him, she decided._

_Though what he had gone through was undoubtedly worse from what she had ever gone though, and the words Naruto had whispered to her before she left rang through her mind now; "Hey, be nice to him, no matter how much of a jerk he seems. He's.. cold on the outside, sure, but he's changing, Sakura-chan." Truly, he was changing, and she was lucky enough to be watching it all first hand, and experiencing the maybe-now-not-so-cold-and-not-so-grumpy Gaara. _

_Quickly making up her mind, she shifted her leg slightly, pulling herself forward to the redhead, and after removing her black gloves and setting them behind her, she outstretched her slightly tanned arms, hesitant at first before she pushed herself forward and wrapped her arms tightly around the redhead, his arms having let go of his shoulders and having fallen limply to his sides. His body visibly froze, stiffening into what hugging a statue would feel like, except.. maybe a bit more warmer._

_She felt herself freeze as well, feeling slow and hesitant arms wrap around her, feeling his fingers seem to dig into the fabric of her clothing and seem to hold on rather tightly, and felt herself being drawn closer to the redhead. He seemed so.. desperate for this hug, so needy for this simple human contact. It certainly was nothing out of love, only out of care and the frantic need for human contact - for a simple hug._

_"I.. I trust you.."_

_-----------------------------------------_

"I'm fine." He spoke, voice slightly muffled from having buried his head in the crook of her neck, "Just.. _tired_."

"Are you sure?" She soothingly rubbed his back for a moment. "You're not sick? You're.. okay?"

"I said I'm fine, Sakura." His voice came out a bit cold, and she frowned. "I love you.."

"I thought you said you hated me..?" Sakura spoke, smiling hesitantly, trying to bring back the Gaara she knew.

"Sakura, don't." She heard Gaara mutter, sounding almost pleading, though she brushed it off as a trick of her mind. "I love you."

"... I.. love you too, Gaara."

Sakura hesitantly pulled away from him once he seemed to have relaxed a little more, and noted he was watching her closely, eyes focused only upon her, and she smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry, you can still trust me, you know." She said, nodding slightly as she pushed herself from the bed, watching the redhead quickly stand as well, copying her actions and moving the blanket from his way before lowering his feet to the ground and standing. A frown formed upon his lips as his dull aqua orbs looked back at his current state of clothing.

"It was necessary." The medic grinned, seeing that he was trying to ignore and deny what had happened. "Go get dressed, or stay like that. I don't care. I'll go see if breakfast is cold, yet."She grinned a little more, seeming to be trying to lighten to mood.

She turned on her heel and left, muttering something about changing later as she left the room, the indication of her leaving being the soft footsteps soon leaving his range and hearing, and then there was silence. She had left a pretty annoyed Gaara by himself. To say the least, he still felt enraged - but at himself, not at Sakura - _**never**_ at Sakura. She meant to much to him, he knew. But he was such a utter fool, daring to show such _weakness_ in front of her.

_'I can trust her.. I.. just don't want her to think I'm unstable. Not again, never again. Shukaku is gone, I'm.. __**normal**.'_

He moved forward, soon quickly getting dressed into his usual outfit, gaze lingering briefly upon his Kazekage robes that hung clean and washed within the closet. It wasn't everyday he got to skip out on his usual daily duties and instead rest and be with his love -_ 'Who most likely is missing her work as well just to stay here.. with me. Is she really that worried? These.. these thoughts.. they're nothing, right?' _- who, he noted, now seemed to be studying him carefully every time her shining emerald green eyes fell upon him ever since he had fallen asleep back at his office.

_'I was just tired. I was just so tired that those thoughts came into my mind but...'_

The Kazekage adjusted his clothing just slightly, quietly moving forward and turning sharply to the right, only to end up on his bathroom, facing the mirror, gazing thoughtfully as his appearance.

Pale.

The _'love'_ kanji seemed to stand out even more, now.. He absent mindedly moved his hand up, fingers gently sliding across his smooth, pale skin on his forehead and then upon the blood red kanji. He watched himself flinch as soon as his fingers had grazed it, and he found that the skin was just ever so slightly puffed up - and undoubtedly it was the scar he had caused himself oh-so long ago when that anguishing night had happened.

"Yashamaru.."

He leaned slightly closer to the mirror, hand dropping down to the counter that held the sink on it, feeling his fingers wrap around a razor blade before his eyes narrowed slightly, still staring at himself in the mirror.

Emotionless.

Dull, cold, impassive aqua blue eyes stared unrelentingly and mockingly back at him. Eyes - _'My eyes.. I think.. I'm.. not sure who I am anymore.. But, I'm Gaara, right?'_ - that contrasted greatly against the dark rings around his eyes.. His free hand seemed to repeat the action that he had done to his scar upon his forehead, and he lightly traced the blackened areas around his eyes. So damn _dark_.. A permanent reminder that he had once held Shukaku within him, a permanent reminder..

Loveless.

_'Why__? Why __**me**..?'_

Gaara moved back slightly, glancing down to the razor he held in his hand before he quickly dropped it, scowling briefly in what may have been disgust. He glanced back to the mirror, scowl fading quickly, gaze soon traveling to his hand that had once held the razor blade. The hand that had killed so many, so many people.. Just by one quick gesture of raising his hand, and creating a fist, he could remember the screams of agony as he use to crush one body part at a time as a child, watching in sick fascination as he watched some of the blood seep from the victim, from the sand, and slowly drip down to the ground..

_'That's over now. I'm __**different**__.. right..?'_

The redhead flexed his fingers briefly before curling his pale fingers and creating a fist before undoing his action, opening his hand and staring at his visible palm. He could practically see it now, stained with blood that slowly dripped down to the ground.. the blood of all those he had ever killed, the blood of the families he had ruthlessly slaughtered when he had been younger and Shukaku had been unbearably blood thirsty. Why did he keep thinking about these things?

_'That made Mother happy... Mother, why.. haven't you spoken to me..? It's been so long..'_

He _**knew**_ he was different, he was _**trying**_ to repent for what he had done, prove he was _**different**_, prove he was _**normal**_, that he should no longer be feared _(even though he could still see quite a few frown disapprovingly at him, hiss cruel whispers to others, and quickly leave or look away when he even came relatively near)_.

He found himself backing into the wall, eyes still locked upon his image in the mirror. _'Monster, monster, monster...' _He frowned, shaking his head slightly.

"I have come to be... my purpose is needed by Sakura, right? Love.." He blinked, frowning slightly. "I have come to be needed." He nodded again, as if trying to convince himself of such.

Though, he found himself realizing he needed a purpose to actually live, besides to protect Suna.. It was odd, he suddenly realized, how he found himself longing for another purpose - one for only himself, not others. He knew his purpose was to live to strive to protect those he cared about, to protect his village, to protect.. Sakura..

"I'm.." He hesitated. "_**Human**_.. right?"

He was met with silence, but that certainly wasn't surprising. When had their not been silence?

"I'm.. human." It sounded so strange, so.. foreign after years of convincing himself he was a sickening monster who loved only himself - a demon from hell. "I'm a normal human now. No.. Shukaku. Nothing. I'm.. all alone."

It was almost a deafening silence now.

"I'm a.. monster.." That sounded right, but he found himself so angry because of the silence that surrounded him. The silence never bothered him before, and it wasn't as if anyone was watching him. That silence had always been there, but now he found himself noticing it more and more, and it made him so angry because nothing was **there** to break the silence, nothing was there. _Nothing_.

He found himself wishing that Sakura was with him now instead of, most likely, heating up the breakfast again. He wasn't hungry, he thought, closing his eyes. It was true, he had let himself lose quite a few pounds, and undeniably he was much skinnier than before, but certainly not to an dangerous anorexia level of skinny, but he knew it was enough to scare Sakura, though he tried not to dwell on such thoughts.

_'I'm not important.'_

He no longer viewed himself top on his list of things to care about, no, truth be told he couldn't really find himself caring about his health anymore. So _many_ more **things**, so many people that were so much more important than he could _ever_ be, than he could ever _hope_ _to_ be, _dream_ to be.. **wish** to be. He had to worry about the people of Sunagakure's health and safety - if any died, it was all his fault, and god knows they _all_ blamed it upon him - solely upon him and only him -, every one of them. He had to protect and worry about Naruto's health and safety because the Uzumaki was his first friend, and damned if he'd let his friend's existence fade.

He had to worry of everything about Sakura because he _**loved**_.

_'Scaring those who you care about.. so cold. The monster deserves no one to love. __**I**__ deserve no one.'_

"Chiyo.. damn you." He suddenly hissed, anger flaring for some reason. "Why did you have to bring me back..?" He practically snarled.

_'It shouldn't have been me who suffered through all this. Why me? I didn't __**deserve**__ it!'_

He felt his arm raise, and just as he were about to get rid of the mirror and crush it into a thousand tiny, sharp shards - because, suddenly, he couldn't bear to look at himself any longer - he heard a noise and immediately looked to the side where the exit to the bathroom was. A certain pink haired kunoichi stood, tensely, eyes slightly widened, her usual clothing laying messily upon the bed, a few items of clothing dropped upon the floor, as if having seen what he had about done and rushed to his side.

_'How long.. has she been there..?'_

"Gaara.." She blinked, tears suddenly seeming to well up in her eyes. ".. Please, I'm worried."

Before he could react, he felt he push her lithe body forward and practically lunge into his slim form, tightly placing her arms around him and holding him closely to her own body, seeming to mumble something about him before pulling him a little closer, shifting slightly and burying her head in his chest, ignoring the zipper and other such things upon his clothing, her body suddenly shuddering as she began to silently cry.

"You can tell me anything. Just.. _trust_ me, like you use too.." She whispered softly, another soft sob slipping out. How could he not tell her what he was going through? She was so worried now, so utterly desperate and confused of what to do.

Where the hell had it all gone so horribly.. _**wrong**_?

"I.. I love you, Gaara. I love you.. But.. what's wrong..?" She asked, feeling his arms quickly surround her, fingers desperately digging into the night gown she wore like he had done when first deciding he could trust her.

_So.. desperate for contact._

He didn't respond.

----------------------------- x.X.x-------------------------------o.O.o----------------------------------------

_Ino,_

_... I.. just honestly don't know. Please try to get down here soon. I'm really scared for his health, mental and physical. That's it. Write back, hope you're doing good._

_Truly,_

_Sakura H._

* * *

This was VERY crappy, I know. I am _**so**_ sorry. -Shootsself.-

_"I am aware, now,  
__Of how everything's gonna be fine..  
__One day.. Too late,  
__I'm in hell.  
__I am prepared now,  
__Seems everyone's gonna be fine...  
__One day, too late, just as well.." _-_ Seether_,_** 'Fine Again.'**_

**DarknessinShadows** - Yay! xD Thankyou for reviewing, and I'm glad you like it! Thankyouu!

**Sharingan.Wonder.Girl** - Aha, that's for you to find out on your own. Who knows? Maybe just average depression? Or perhaps a.. young-life-crisis? xD Who knows..? -shifty eyes- Thankyou so very much for reviewing! xD Really glad you like it! Ooh, and, I'll most likely get into what's going on with him in later chapters.. first I need to like.. get all the.. er, I dunno, 'symptoms' I guess you could call it. xD Yaay.

**Tia** - Thankyou so much! xD Aha, I know, but as I recall back when those issues came out my computer had died, and the library hated me, so about after two new issues after the Rescue Gaara Arc had happened, I got to read it. Lucky me, lol. Yeah, this is set after the Rescue Gaara Arc, I'm thinking maybe.. quite a few months after, or something. -Shrugs.- YES! AHAHA! GAARAxSAKURA FOREVER! They are absolutely PERFECT for each other! xDDD

**HeartAngel** - Wow, really, you think there's a lot of details? -Blinks.- THANKYOU! xD I dunno, I always hear that details are ultra important, so I tried to make it really descriptive, thankyouu for thinking it is! -Way too happy.- Yaay, it seems so far I've beat all the other fanfics you've read. Thankyou, once more! And, thanks for checking for any mistakes! -Nods.-

**cast a spell** - xD Thankyou so very much! You really think it's great? -Cheers.- Glad I could make you satisfied, hope this one is satisfying as well!

**AnkukoTenma **- Thankyou so very much! Glad you liked it, and thanks for reviewing! xD

**kazter** - Yay! Glad you liked it! And, in the words of my teacher, "Books and reading are very addictive, like drugs, except MUCH better!" xD Thankyou for reviewing!

**Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia**** - **Wow. o.0 That's a huuge name, lol. No wonder why you can't spell it. Yeah! GO BREAKING BENJAMIN! xDD Ah, well, one doesn't have to listen to _**'Rain'**_ to understand this story.. it's basically the song that helped to get me writing it by giving me more ideas for it. -Nods.- Aww, thankyou so very much for thinking that my stories are awesome, it truly does mean a lot! Thankyouuu so very much! x1million

**Servatismaleficum** - Ah, glad you liked it! And, of course (even though we're like.. strangers. -Shrugs.-) I'll listen. -Nods.- Well, I'm really glad you're alright now, and that it seems your life has been getting better. Excuse me for saying this, but people like your father should rot in hell for all eternity. What kind of sick bastard does that to his own family? I really hope he's in jail, serving a lifetime sentence, plus your foster parents most likely belong there, too! But, I'm sure that you're a hell of a lot stronger now, and you won't take anyone's crap now, ne? I really hope things start going great for you from now on.

**- Gaara-Sakura. 'Gaakura.**


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